this morning, game on. >> breaking news overnight. feeling the pressure from fans, the nfl reaches an agreement with its referees. details still being worked out. also, reaction from players and fans flooding twitter overnight. mitt romney, heading to another must-win state today. facing tough questions from our david muir about that video and disappointing, new numbers. air scare. hundreds of passengers bracing for a crash. a critical problem with the plane's landing gear. but then, a miracle. and is one of the 20th century's enduring mysteries about to be solved? police planning to dig up a suburban driveway in the search for jimmy hoffa.

good thursday morning, everybody. we begin with the big, breaking news. the nfl and its referees have struck a deal, ending that lockout that put substitute refs in the game. >> now, the two sides finally settled after a controversial play turned the labor dispute into a national punch line. we begin with abc's tahman bradley. >> a deal is done. >> reporter: regular nfl officials return to work tonight, after their union and the league reached a tentative agreement to end the lockout that began in june. >> the replacement officials will be replaced. >> reporter: the officials union still needs to approve the eight-year deal. but the nfl commissioner lifted the lockout so the regular refs can call tonight's browns/ravens games in baltimore. in a statement, roger goodell said, we look forward to having the finest officials back on the field. and i want to give a special

thanks to nfl fans for their passion. now, it's time to put the focus on the teams and players where it belongs. this end to monday night's packers/seahawks game. two replacement refs make different calls. >> this is comical to me, really. >> reporter: ultimately ruling what looked like an interception a touchdown. the call infuriated announcers, players and fans. >> bring the guys back now. >> beyond you and i in the sports world and football people, this went to the "today" show, "good morning america," it was national conversation. >> reporter: monday's finish and other embarrassing calls by replacement refs brought a new sense of urgency to strike a deal. c.j. spiller of the buffalo bills tweeted, welcome back, refs. glad y'all got a deal done. but thanks to replacement refs for doing their best. the refs will see a boost in salary over the next several seasons.

and the nfl will get to set up a bench of replacement refs it can use to step in for the underperforming officials. paula and rob? >> almost forgot me, tahman. i saw that. >> he could never forget you. do we expect to see regular refs back on sunday? but how long until the deal is ratified? >> the union is going to meet in dallas on saturday, where they're expected to vote. they will need a majority vote. the nfl owners won't have to vote because the commissioner can act for them. that's why we're going to see the real refs back tonight, paula and rob. >> thank you for the emphasis, tahman. >> you want to add anything to tahman? >> i appreciate that report. tahman bradley, thanks. enjoy watching your bears this week. i think one of the players tweeted out something. and it became the most retweeted tweet ever in the history of twitter. that shows the reaction this is

getting amongst football fans across the country. >> had profanity, as well. they get $149,000 a year in 2011. by 2013, it will be bumped up to $173,000. up to $205,000 a year. >> not a bad salary. picked the wrong career. we'll have much more on the breaking story coming up later on "good morning america." to politics, now, where president obama and mitt romney have dueling campaign appearances today in virginia. yesterday, the candidates were both in ohio, where the latest polls show an uphill battle for romney. abc's david muir asked the candidate some tough questions about his chances. >> we'll win ohio again. we'll finish what we started again. >> we're going to win ohio. thank you so much. let's take back america. >> reporter: call it the buckeye brawl with the president and mitt romney here. perhaps the biggest punch was that new poll.

romney trailing president obama by ten points in ohio. down by nine points in florida. we asked the governor about those numbers. i'm curious what you would say to your supporters, your donors, who might be concerned that this might be slipping away? >> i'm pleased with some polls. less with other polls. polls go up. polls go down. >> reporter: there's some that believe these polls are a reflection of that videotape last week. you were talking to donors, talking about the 47%. >> and so, my job, is not to worry about those people. i'll never convince them. >> reporter: i'm curious who you were exactly talking about there. >> as you look at the national polls, i'm tied about the national polls. >> reporter: how about the people you couldn't convince to take greater responsibility. those are heavy words. >> i'm talking about a political process. i'm not going to get 100%. i hope to get 50%-plus. and make sure i become the next president. >> reporter: in the wake of that video, romney up with a new ad. straight to camera. >> president obama and i both

care about poor and middle-class families. the difference is, my policies will make things better for them. >> reporter: but the president continuing to take aim. >> i don't believe we can get very far with leaders who write off half the nation as a bunch of victims who never take responsibility for their own lives. i don't see a lot of victims. i see hard-working ohioans. that's what i see. >> reporter: david muir, abc news, toledo, ohio. >> 40 days to go now. we turn to the latest provocative words from iranian president ahmadinejad. speaking before the u.n., he accused the u.s. and europe of entrusting themselves to the devil. he referred to israelis as, quote, uncivilized. but ahmadinejad made no mention of his country's nuclear program. the u.s. and israel boycotted his speech as they traditionally do. and chilling images out of syria from yesterday's back-to-back attacks in damascus. state tv shows the moment one of the suicide bombs went off,

exploding in a white van. you see it there. the government says four military guards were killed in those blasts. but rebels say dozens, in fact, died. in all more than 340 people were killed across the country, making it the deadliest day since that conflict began. back here at home. police in suburban detroit are looking into a new claim about the location of jimmy hoffa's body. they will take soil samples from the ground beneath a driveway after a man told them he believes he witnessed hoffa's burial 35 years ago. there's been a number of searches for hoffa since the teamster leader disappeared in 1975. time for a look at weather across the country. a chance of showers in the northeast. also, showers and thunderstorms from pittsburgh to cleveland, louisville, wichita and oklahoma city. stormy from the texas panhandle to brownsville. showers from the colorado rockies to rapid city, south dakota. >> mostly 70s in the heartland.

80s in the southeast. when we come back, the latest on that breaking news this morning. the big deal between the nfl and its real referees. plus, one of the searing images from last year's occupy protests. students being pepper-sprayed. now, they're about to see a major settlements. also, tense moments on the tarmac at jfk. passengers brace for impact. and then, a sudden turn of events.

welcome back on this thursday, everyone. a new round of encouraging news on the housing market. the median price of a new home soared more than 11% between july and august. that's the biggest one-month

jump on record against new homes. the price, $256,000 is the highest in almost 5 1/2 years. and the number of new homes on the market was near an all-time low. and speaking of records, a record number of families are dealing with student debt. more than 22 million households, almost one in five, had college loans in 2010. that rate doubled in just 20 years, with college enrollment growing, tuition costs soaring, and more than well-off families taking out private loans for colleges. and cell phones are taking a bigger bite out of family budgets. spending on phone services jumped more than 4% last year, even as people cut back on other spending. the average household now spends more than 1,200 bucks a year on their phone service. >> how times have changed. he brought sexy back. and now, justin timberlake is trying to bring myspace back, as well. he's part of a group that bought the once red-hot social site from news corp. last year.

and his company has posted a video, teasing the new myspace. and letting people sign up for invitations to join. rob, another thing to sign up for. >> no kidding. and mcdonald's is hoping people will want fries and their m channel tv with that burger. the fast food giant is airing its custom-made programming with news, sports and entertainment, targeted for specific areas and audiences, as well. mcdonald's spent eight years cooking up the plan. see? everything mcdonald's food and entertainment these days. >> wonder if they need journalists. >> are they hiring? >> you have the application? when we come back, unusual army action today. soldiers are standing down in the fight against a different kind of enemy. also this morning, cafeteria crusaders. the students who say when it comes to healthier school lunches, enough is not enough. [ male announcer ] this is rudy.

his morning starts with arthritis pain. and two pills. afternoon's overhaul starts with more pain. more pills. triple checking hydraulics. the evening brings more pain. so, back to more pills. almost done, when... hang on. stan's doctor recommended aleve. it can keep pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is rudy. who switched to aleve. and two pills for a day free of pain. ♪ [ female announcer ] and try aleve for relief from tough headaches. car insurance companies say they'll save you by switching, you'd have like, a ton of dollars. but how are they saving you those dollars? a lot of companies might answer "um" or, "no comment." then there's esurance. born online, raised by technology, and majors in efficiency. so whatever they save, you save. hassle, time, paperwork, hair-tearing-out, and yes, especially dollars. esurance. insurance for the modern world. click or call.

the not so pretty truth about their body washes. i wouldn't change. [ female announcer ] this test paper was designed to react like your skin. if other body washes can strip this paper, imagine how harsh they can be to your skin. oh my gosh. [ female announcer ] new dove is different. its new breakthrough formula changes everything with the blend of gentle cleansers and nourishing nutrium moisture. so what do you think now? definitely switching to dove. [ female announcer ] this is new. this is different. this is care.

it is the story of the day so far. outrageous calls like this one from monday's packers/seahawks game should be a thing of the past. recapping the stories from overnight, the nfl and its referees have settled their labor dispute. the league is ending its lockout, pending the referees' official vote. and the regular staff will be in the game tonight at baltimore. welcome back, refs. now, for a look at morning road conditions. a sweat commute in the colorado rockies. thunderstorms drenching highways across much of texas. also, from the oklahoma city to the ohio valley. in florida, from orlando to miami. >> and it's a great day for flying out there. we don't say that a lot. there are no weather-related airport delays on tap today. smooth sailing to new orleans. >> that's good news for you. more news this morning. first responders rushed to the

tarmac at new york's jfk airport yesterday, set for a crash landing. >> a jetliner arriving from brazil, lost control of the front landing gear with its wheel stuck sideways. then, with fuel running throw, she told the 190 passengers onboard to brace for impact. >> they told us the front gear was -- had a problem. so, we would have an emergency landing. >> a lot of things go through your mind. that might be the last time you're going to fly. you know? or have a chance to see anybody. but it worked out fine. >> amazingly, just 50 feet above the runway, those front wheels turned forward again. and the plane touched down without incident, prompting a huge round of applause as you can imagine, from those jittery passengers inside. a desperate search continues today for two missing tennessee children, initially believed to have died in a fire near

nashville. investigators say no remains of 9-year-old chloe and her 9-year-old brother were found in that form house where they lived with their grandparents. but the grandparents' bodies were recovered. the children were last seen sunday evening, hours before the fire gutted the home. and the university of california has agreed to pay a $1 million settlement, stemming from a controversial pepper-spraying incident. campus police sparking outrage across the country, when they were videotaped last november, pepper-spraying peaceful occupy protesters app u.c. davis. the students sprayed will get $30,000 each, plus a written apology. a judge still has to approve the deal. high school students in kansas are leading a protest over the new federal lunch guidelines that are supposed to reduce obesity. kids may a video that's gone viral. in it, they campaign that the food available in the cafeteria is not enough to fill them up.

and school officials nationwide say they see a lot of fruits and vegetables being thrown away. the usda says it's working in some schools. the army has ordered a standdown day to focus on suicide prevention training. the army recorded 116 suicides among active-duty soldiers. and fans are remembering entertaining andy williams this morning. the "moon river" singer died at his home in missouri. among those paying tributes, donny osmond. osmond sang "moon river" during his show in las vegas last night. >> talk about one of the great voices. back when people could sing. what a voice. time, now, for some action from the big leagues. highlights, now, from espn news.

>> randy scott here with your "sportscenter" update. the best pennant race in baseball is in the american league central. it's the tigers and white sox. they came into wednesday tied atop of the division. tigers, looking to take care of business. against the royals. serving one up to jeff fron cowh francoeur. abeale la, off of jeremy guthrie, who has been better coming to the royals from the rockies. but returning to old form there. tigers cut it to 4-3. austin jackson, mr. jackson, if you're nasty. that's gone. his 16th of the season. aerowe're tied at 4-4. bottom five, your triple crown candidate leads the american league in rbis and balting average. alex gordon is ruining the party. bottom eighth. runners at the corners for jhonny peralta. and it's not the sexiest

highlight. but it is productive because andy dirks breaking up the double-play, allowing the run to score. who says baseball is not a full-contact sport? that allows the winning run to score. tigers win. the white sox need to take care of the indians to keep pace. that's the indians go up 5-1. bottom nine, last chance for the chi sox. kevin youkilis, grounding into the 1-6-3, fantastic defense for the tribe. remember, thursday night football tonight on espn. stanford and washington at 9:00 eastern. coming up next, "the pulse," this morning. and the invention that has all the women around here talking. >> oh, yeah. it's a lifesaver for all of us ladies. we're going to show you how the convertible heel the take you

just about anywhere. ♪ ooh, yeah, ooh-ooh, yeah ♪ ooh, yeah, ooh-ooh, yeah ♪ i love ya ♪ ooh, yeah, ooh-ooh, yeah [ female announcer ] introducing new special k popcorn chips. with 28 buttery chips for 120 calories, you can bring the flavor of the movies home and still stay on track. freedom to enjoy. what will you gain when you lose? find them in the cracker aisle. it just wouldn't go away. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can plan my days and accomplish more. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions.

tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. ask your doctor if lyrica is right cwhen it comes to toilet paper, there's no such thing as too soft. as long as it still gets the job done. i know what i like. i like feeling both clean and pampered. why should i compromise? not only is quilted northern ultra plush® the only bath tissue with plushquilts®, it has the innerlux layer. three levels of softness and the gentle clean you want. clean comes first. and really soft is really important. quilted northern ultra plush®. for a comfortable, confident clean, or your money back.

welcome back, everybody. time to check "the pulse," the stories you'll be talking about today, starting with a new invention for women looking to make strides with a little more ease. >> hallelujah. the new convertible heels. when your aching feet can't take another moment, just switch them out for shorter ones. not the whole shoe. just the heels will change from low to high heels when you go from work to play. the shoes are called date-a-night. and they come in five different heights. she doesn't come with it. >> oh. the convertible heel will sell for about $300 a pair. but half price if you preorder. >> i think i need to try some of

them out. what has four wheels and fleas? take a look. dogs competing in stroller races in a california backyard. other dogs are the passengers. >> that's not all they can do. no, no. the talented athletes race each other on scooters and in little kiddie cars, as well. and everyone seems to be upping the ante when it comes to photo bombing. >> those unexpected bloopers in the background. the photo session spoilers are coming into focus. >> oh, no. >> the woman in the bikini with the dog doing his business back there. that's been making the rounds. >> he should be pushing the strollers like the other dogs. >> and the topless wedding watcher, turning the i dos into please don't. >> what a moment. this one is going viral. a stingray with a trio of tourists in the cayman islands.

plenty of debate whether this photo bomb is for real. >> i say no. >> talk amongst yourselves. we'll be back. my doctor told me calcium is efficiently absorbed in small continuous amounts. citracal slow release continuously releases calcium plus d with efficient absorption in one daily dose. citracal slow release.

with efficient absorption in one daily dose. living with moderate to semeans living with pain.is it could also mean living with joint damage. help relieve the pain and stop the damage with humira, adalimumab. for many adults with moderate to severe ra, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and op joint damage. so you can treat more than just the pain. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira, to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage before they stop you.

updating the top stories now. the nfl lockout of its referees . updating the top stories, the regular refs will be back in the game tonight after the two sides hammered out an 8 year deal. the presidential candidates both have appearances this morning in virginia. mitt romney acknowledges some of the polls have him running behind. israeli prime mer store minister benjamin. thunderstorms from the texas pan handle, and stormy from oklahoma to ohio, and scattered showers in the northeast and florida. the world of children's books on fire with harry potter and his

magical world. her new book is much more down to earth. >> "casual vacancy" is the name. and it goes on sale today. and "nightline's" cynthia mcfadden got an early look. >> reporter: books. movies. >> you're a wizard, harry. >> i'm a what? >> reporter: merchandise. a theme park. the harry potter universe, j.k. rowling's creation, has spell bound millions. now, rowling has left her wizarding world behind for an adult novel called "the casual vacancy." you've gone from the ultimate fantasy to the ultimate reality. >> i've gone from dragons and unicorns and all the fun that's involved in writing that, to a book that intensely personal. that expresses a lot of my reality. >> reporter: rowling insists the book is not a memoir. but she did draw on the darker

times of her life to craft her characters. >> we have an adult character in the book who has obsessive compulsive disorder. these are things i know from the inside. yeah. >> reporter: the ocd part of it, as well? >> when i was in my teens i had issues with ocd. >> reporter: how did it manifest? >> compulsions. checking things. very common. double-checking. triple-checking. >> reporter: some might wonder why rowling, an almost billionaire, would bother writing another book, putting her reputation on the line. how will you decide this book is a success? >> it won't sell as many as harry potter because lightning doesn't strike twice. >> reporter: instead of chasing harry, rowling has written a book she felt she had to write, asking us to confront the darkest side of our humanity and grapple with it. cynthia mcfadden, abc news, edinbo edinboro.